Suction roll



g- 2, 1955 E. D. BEACHLER 2,714,342

SUCTION ROLL Filed Nov. 2, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l Edward 17. Beach ls?" Aug. 1955 E. D. BEACHLER 2,714,342

SUCTION ROLL Filed Nov. 2, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Edward D. Bane/vie) United States Patent SUCTION ROLL Edward D. Beachler, Beloit, Wis., assignor to Beloit Iron Works, Beloit, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application November 2, 1950, Serial No. 193,679 2 Claims. (Cl. 92-53) The present invention relates to a papenmaking machine suction roll and more particularly to a suction roll having axial vacuum areas of varying suction capacity for transferring a paper web, or portions thereof, through a paper-making machine.

In the manufacture of paper, it is necessary to initially thread the web formed upon the forming surface, such as upon the forarninous Fourdrinier forming wire, through the remainder of the machine, including the press part, in order that later portions of the web may follow a predetermined path through the machine. In order to facilitate this threading of the web through the machine press part, it has been conventional practice to form from the web, as by cutting the web with a tail jet directed against the web supported on the forming surface, a relatively narrow web tail of about to inches width for passage through the press part, while the remainder of the web is returned as broke for reconversion to pulp. In the utilization of suction transfer means, particularly in the machine press section, difiiculty has been encountered in the training of the tail inasmuch as the major portion of the suction areas of the transfer rolls is uncovered when the tail is threaded therethrough. This uncovering of the suction areas results in serious losses of vacuum, the remaining vacuum being ineffective to cause adequate and clean transfer of the web tail.

The present invention now provides anovel form of suction roll, preferably having a pair of peripherally adjacent suctiontareas, which is provided with means for the exertion of high vacuum upon the web tail alone without any serious loss of vacuum through those portions of thesuction areas uncovered by the tail.

More specifically, the present invention utilizes a valve located in the interior of a suction gland of the roll and movable to a closed position for dividing the gland into two axially aligned portions, one portion of which is subjected to vacuum by the vacuum pump and the other portion of which is not subjected to this vacuum; Thus, the entire vacuum effect of the pump is exerted on a relatively small axial dimension of the roll to give a localized high vacuum area, and when this localized high vacuum area is covered by the web tail, the tail is eifectively transferred by means of the roll. After the web tail has been threaded through the press section by utilization of the suction roll, the valve may be opened so that the entire suction area of the roll gland is subjected' to the vacuum effect of the pump, thus reducing the effective suction within the high vacuum tail-transfer area and making this area a portion of the complete transfer area for exertion upon the entire width of the web.

The tail is generally cut from the web while the web is retained upon the forming surface and following threading of the tail, the tail cutting jet is moved transversely across the width of the web so that an increasing width of web is transferred to the press section. Preferably, opening of the high vacuum portion valve in the 2,714,342 Patented Aug. 2, 1955 interior of the roll is correlated with transverse movement of the tail cutting jet so that an effective suction area of increasing width exerts differential pressure conditions upon the web as its transverse area increases.

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide a suction roll having axially separable vacuum areas of varying suction capacity for exertion upon a paper web of varying transverse dimensions to transfer the web through a paper-making machine press part.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a suction roll provided with means for exerting a high vacuum upon a web tail initially threaded through a paper machine press part without a loss of vacuum through portions of the roll uncovered by the tail.

It is a further important object of the present invention to provide a suction roll provided with a relatively small high vacuum suction area operable upon the paper web tail alone to transfer the tail through a paper-making machine by the exertion of the entire vacuum effect of the roll suction means thereon.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide a suction roll having an interior suction gland divisible into axial vacuum areas of varying suction capacity by means of a valve located in the interior of the gland, the valve being operable to one position to exert a high vacuum upon a relatively small axial dimension of the roll and being operable to a second position to exert a relatively lower vacuum eiiect upon substantially the entire transverse dimension of the roll.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a paper-making machine suction roll having an interior suction gland which is divided by valve means into axially adjacent suction areas of varying vacuum capacity, with the valve being operable to an adjusted position to equalize the vacuum capacity of the areas.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a paper-making machine suction roll divided both radially and axially into vacuum areas of varying suction capacity for effectively transferring a paper web, or a relatively small portion thereof, through apapermaking machine.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings. a

On the drawings:

Figure l is a diagrammatic representation of a papermaking machine, utilizing a suction roll of the present invention; t

Figure 2 is a plan view taken along the plane II II of Figure 1, illustrating the formation of a web tail for threading through the paper-making machine of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged radial sectional view of a papermaking machine suction roll of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a partial sectional view of the roll of the present invention taken along the plane IVIV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a partial sectional view completing the axial section of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged end elevational view of the roll of the present invention; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figures 4 and 5, illustrating an additional portion of the roll of the present invention.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figure 1, reference numeral 10 refers generally to a paper-making machine foraminous forming surface, such as the forming wire of a Fourdrinier-type papermaking machine which passes over a plurality of aligned suction boxes 11 and about a suction couch roll 12 to a wire turning roll 13.

Theforming wire, or surface 10, supports a moist paper,

web W formed by the deposition of a fibrous pulp suspension upon the wire, and web is removed from the forming surface through the medium of a pickup felt 14 trained about a suction pickup rol-l 15-into contact with the web W. The suction pickup roll 15 is provided with a relatively high vacuum suction area 16 for removing the web from the wire and a peripherally adjacent relatively low suction area 17 for retaining the web W upon the undersurface of the felt 14. The felt 14 is trained, as by a plurality of guide rolls 18, about the periphery of the pickup roll 15 and through the nip 19 of a press assembly defined by an upper press roll 20 and a lower press roll 21. The lower .press roll 21 is a suction press roll having lapped thereabout a press felt 22 covering the suction area 23 of the roll 21 and passing through the nip 19. The press felt 19 receives the web W from the undersurface of the pickup felt 14 due to the exertion of vacuum within the suction area 23 upon the web, and the press felt 22 conveys the web W to a first nip 24 defined by a lower press roll 25 disposed within the loop of the press felt 22, a superimposed plain press roll 26 defining the nip 24 with the roll 25, and a second lower press roll 27 defining with the roll 26 a second nip 28 in peripherally spaced relation to the nip 24. The press roll 27 is preferably a suction roll having a relatively high suction area 29 and a relatively low suction area 30.

The web W is transferred from the press felt 22 to the plain uncovered surface of the press roll 26 at the nip 24, and the relatively high vacuum area 29 of the roll 27 is effective to transfer the web from the surface of the roll 26 to a second press felt 31 trained about the suction area 29 by a guide roll 32. The second suction area 39 of the roll 27 is eflective to retain the web on the felt 31 after the same has been removed from thevplain press roll 26.

As best'shown in Figure 2, the web W, while supported upon the foraminous forming surface 10 and while still in moist condition, has its lateral parallel edges severed by means of deckle edge nozzles 33 issuing a jet of water therefrom for severing the edges of the web W to define a clear-cut web edge. Also, during initial starting of the machine, a tail jet 34 is utilized to sever a relatively narrow longitudinally extending web tail 35 which is subsequently threaded through the paper-making machine press part in order to initiate travel of the web therethrough, while the remainder of-the web is allowed to fall from the web turning roll 13, as at 36 (Figure 1), into a broke pit (not shown).

The difficulties of training the web tail through the machine .press part have hereinbefore explained, and accordingly, it is desirable that the suction rolls 15 and 27 be provided with means for limiting the suction efife'ct of their respective vacuum pumps to the web tail to prevent a serious loss of vacuum through uncovered portions of these rolls. A' suitable roll construction is illustrated in Figures 3-7, inclusive, and although the roll structure will be particularly described as embodied in the suction press roll 27, it will be appreciated that a quite similar construction may be utilized for the roll 1'5.

As best illustrated in Figures 3-7, inclusive, the roll 27 includes a cylindrical outer shell 40 peripherally enclosed within a conforming rubber casing 41, both the shell and the casing being radially perforated, as at 42, to provide a perforate drum construction. Actually the roll shell, as best illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, includes the central perforated drum 40 which is open at each end, one end being closed by an annular shell ring 43 and the other end enclosed by a radially enlarged flange 44 formed upon a roll hub 45.

The shell ring 43 carries at its inner end an outer hearing race '46 contacting bearing members 47 interposed between the outer race 46 and an inner race 48 which is carried by a suction gland sleeve 49 which is fixedly secured, as by screws 50, to one open end of the suction gland 51. The outer end of the sleeve 49 is peripherally enclosed by a fixed journaled sleeve 52 which is adapted to be clamped within a roll supporting structure (not shown). It will thus be seen that the shell 40 is rotatably supported at one end by the bearing elements 4648 upon the fixed gland 51, the gland sleeve 49 and the journal sleeve 52. Cooperating seal elements 53 and 54 are carried by a shell ring 43 and the sleeve 49, respectively.

The shell 40 is rotatably supported upon the gland at its other end by means of a bearing 55 interposed between the shell sleeve 45 and a fixed gland axle 56 carried by a gland end closure plate 57 contacting that end of the gland opposing the gland sleeve 49. A journal housing 58 peripherally encloses the free end of the shell sleeve 45 and bearing elements 59 are interposed therebetween to rotatably support the shell sleeve 45 within the journal housing 58. The shell sleeve 45 carries an end closure plate 60 fixedly secured thereto, as by screws 61, and having keyed therein a shell-driving axle 62 for connection to a suitable source of power to rotatably drive the shell about the fixed gland 51.

The gland 51 extends axially of the shell in the interior thereof for the entire length of the shell, the gland 51 being generally cylindrical in form, as best seen in Figures 3, 4 and 5. The gland is provided with an elongated slot 63 running substantially the axial length thereof for establishing communication between the interior of the gland and the shell 40. The elongated slot 63 defines the relatively small, high vacuum suction area 29, with the arcuate limits of this area being determined by gland packing strips 64 (or peripherally spaced sealing means) retained within packing strip holders 65 (Figure 3) and contacting the inner periphery of the shell at peripherally spaced points. The relatively larger low suction area 30 is defined by an additional elongated packing strip 66 contacting the inner periphery of the shell in spaced relation to the strips 64 hereinbefore described, the strip 66 being retained by a holder 65 substantially identical with those hereinbefore described.

However, it will be noted that the relatively larger area 30 does not communicate with the interior of the gland through a slot, such as the slot 63, but rather that communication of the area 30 with the interior ofthe gland is established through a suction conduit 67 (Figure 7) provided with a circular butterfly valve 68 adapted to be rotated about a longitudinal axis by means of a valve-actuating rod 69 pinned to an indicating arm 70 projecting beyond the gland sleeve 49. The free end of the arm 70 carries an arm tightening handle 71 threaded upon a bolt 72 received by the arm 70 and projecting through an indicator plate 73 having an arcuate guide slot 74 formed therein. The head 75 of the bolt 72 lies on the reverse side of the indicator plate 73, and it will be seen that loosening of the handle 73 will permit movement of the arm 70 in an arcuate path determined by the slot 74, with corresponding movement of the valve 68 to control the flow of fluid under differential pressures from the suction area 30 into the gland 51. 7

An indication of the degree of vacuum, or air pressure, within the suction area 30 is given by a pressure gauge '76, also projecting beyond the indicator arm 70 and communicating with the area 30 through an indicator manifold conduit 77.

It is also desirable to radially adjust the position of the gland relative to its fixed support, so that it is possible to displace the roll suction areas to vary the operating conditions of the paper-making machine. Such an adjustment may be carried out by means of a worm gear segment fixedly secured to the gland sleeve 49 ex teriorly of the shell (Figure 4), the worm gear segment being in mesh with a transversely extending worm 81 contained within a housing 82 journalling the worm shaft 83 (Figure 6). The worm may be rotated upon its horizontal shaft 83 by rotating the shaft, as by engagement with a suitable tool. 84 is provided upon the casing to give a visual indication of the arcuate positioning of the gland within the shell.

The axial limits of the suction areas 29 and 30 (i. e., the primary roll suction area) are determined by the positioning of deckle edge seals 85 carried by seal holders 86 threadedly retaining a movable deckle, seal rod 87. The deckle seal rod 87 is carried by a edly retained by an axially extending deckle adjustment rod 89 projecting beyond the gland sleeve 49, as at 90. The other end of the roll is provided with an identical deckle seal 85 and supporting structure indicated by identical reference numerals to those hereinbefore described, this end deckle being adjustable by a second adjusting rod 91 also projecting beyond the gland sleeve 49. The open outer end of the gland sleeve is closed by a cover plate 92 secured to the indicator plate 73 at the end of the journal sleeve 52 by suitable means as by bolts 93 and this end plate journals each of the rods 89 and 91 adjacent their free ends. The rods 8 9and 91 are each supported by a plurality of dependent bracket arms 94 spaced along the axial length of the gland and depending into the interior thereof.

The roll 27 is provided with an arcuate save-all pan 95 (Figures 1, 4, 5 and 6) comprising a metal or other suitable sheet 96 enclosing a portion of the periphery of the roll 27 and provided with a plurality of transversely spaced strengthening ribs 97 projecting from the outer edges thereof. End plates 98 are provided at each axial end of the pan, and a drain outlet 99 is also provided for draining moisture therefrom. Bracket irons 100, bolted to the roll support and to the channels 97, or the end plates 98, are provided to maintain the save-all in proper relation to the roll. The purpose of the save-all pan will be evident to those skilled in the art inasmuch as it protects adjacent portions of the press felt 31 from water centrifugally thrown from the surfaces of the roll 27 during rotation of roll shell.

As hereinbefore explained, the roll of the present invention is particularly adapted for the exertion of a high degree of vacuum upon a relatively narrow tail initially threaded through the paper machine during starting of web production. The means for accomplishing this result are best shown in Figures 3 and 4. More specifically, the means include a seal plate 101 carried by the gland and extending transversely thereacross in closely spaced relation to the end deck seal 85 at the rear, or non-driven, end of the roll. The seal plate an upper portion 102, which is fixedly secured to and is in engagement with the upper portion of the gland 51, and a lower valving portion 103, which is movable italgtive to the gland and to the fixed upper plate portion The valving portion 103 is provided with two pairs of spaced lugs 104 receiving therebetween corresponding lugs 105 formed on the upper plate portion 102, the associated lugs 104105 receiving therethrough a pivot pin 106 about which the valving portion may be pivoted from its solid line position in Figure 4 to its dotted line position. It will be seen that, when the valving portion 103 is in its solid line position (Figure 4), a relatively tight seal is presented across the interior of the gland. An additional arcuate seal plate 107 is carried by the seal plate 101 and projects upwardly therebeyond within the relatively high suction area 29 into closely spaced relation to the inner shell periphery.

Inasmuch as the interior of the suction gland is adapted to be evacuated through the hollow bore of the gland sleeve 49 which communicates with a vacuum passage 108 adapted for connection to a vacuum pump, or other suitable source of less than atmospheric pressure, it will be appreciated that the seal plate 101 will substantially prevent the formation of sub-atmospheric pressure within those portions of the gland axially beyond the seal plate. Also, the seal plate 101 is interposed between the An angular deflection gauge bracket 88 thread-.

is formed in two portions,

low vacuum area butterfly valve 68 (i. e., a suction control valve) and the vacuum passage 108 to prevent drawing a vacuum in the low vacuum area 30 whenever the valve 103 is closed, regardless of the position of the valve 68. Although running clearance between the additional seal plate 107 and the inner periphery of the shell 40 is necessary, such running clearance will not interfere materially with the efliciency of the vacuum drawn within the restricted arcuate area defined by the seal plate.

It is preferred that the actuation of the valving portion 103 to and from its dotted position (Figure 4) be carried out by means of a fluid pressure operated cylinder, or motor, 110. The cylinder is provided with a conventional reciprocable piston in the interior thereof (not shown) connected to a valve actuating rod 111 projecting beyond the cylinder and pivotally attached, as at 112, to a lug 113 (Figure 3) formed on the valving portion 103. That end of the cylinder remote from the actuating rod 111 is pivotally attached, as at 114, to an angle support 115 projecting across the interior of the gland 51. The cylinder is vented to a suitable source of pressure different from atmosphere through fluid pressure conduits 116 and 117 connected to the rearward and forward portions of the cylinder. These fluid pressure lines project axially through the gland sleeve 49 for connection to a suitable source of pressure and are connected to a suitable valve 118 of conventional design for actuating the cylinder.

The operation of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, particularly with respect to the means for subjecting a relatively small axial dimension of the roll 27 to the entire vacuum capacity of a pump or other vacuum-producing means attached to the fluid pressure passage 108. The seal plate, when the valving portion thereof is closed, divides the gland into separate axially aligned compartments or sections and effectively prevents the drawing of any vacuum with in the relatively low vacuum area 30, and the provision of the seal plate projecting across the interior of the gland and, as at 107, in closely spaced relation with the inner periphery of the roll shell, limits the effective vacuum area of the high suction area 29 to a relatively small axial dimension (i. e., the secondary suction area). Inasmuch as the high suction area 29 accomplishes the actual web and/or tail transfer, the absence of vacuum in the low suction area 30 does not eflect the transfer of the sheet to the web.

It will also be appreciated that upon opening of the valve 103, the formerly active high vacuum restricted area becomes a portion of the general high vacuum area 29, so that a uniform suction area 29 is available along substantially the entire effective length of the gland, while at the same time vacuum efiiciency is restored within the low vacuum area 30 of the roll.

The construction of the roll 27, hereinbefore described in detail, lends itself to the utilization of this roll at several points in a conventional paper making machine press part. For example, the roll may be utilized as the pick-up roll 15, or as the lower suction roll 21 of a conventional press assembly, as shown in Figure 1. Of

course, if the roll is employed as a suction pick-up roll 15, the rubber cover 41 is not utilized, as is well known in the art. In most cases, as in the manufacture of paper of average weight, the transfer of the paper web to the pick-up felt at the transfer roll 15 is: accomplished without too much ditiiculty, so that a concentrated vacuum effect upon a web tail, as per the present invention, may not be necessary. However, in the manufacture of extremely light weight papers, such as tissue paper, such a construction may prove highly desirable as the pick-up roll.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be eifected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a suction transfer roll for a paper making ma chine, a stationary suction gland, a cylindrical perforate shell carried by and rotatable about said gland, packing means carried by said gland defining arcuate peripherally adjacent-relatively high and low vacuum suction areas at the inner periphery of said shell, a vacuum conduit at one endof said gland for evacuating said high vacuum suction area, a suction control valve in said gland and axially spaced from said vacuum conduit for controlling vacuum communication between said vacuum suction areas, and a seal plate having a valve as a portion thereof extending substantially radially of said shell across the interior of said gland intermediate said vacuum conduit and said control valve, said valve when closed dividing said high vacuum area into axial compartments and interrupting vacuum communication between said high vacuum area and said low vacuum area.

2. In a suction transfer roll for a paper making machine, a stationary suction gland, a cylindrical perforate shell carried by and, rotatable about said gland, packing means carried by said gland defining arcuate peripherally adjacent relatively high and low vacuum suction areas at the inner periphery of said shell, a vacuum condu'it at one end of said gland for evacuating said high vacuum suction area,'a suction control valve in said gland and axially spaced from said vacuum conduit for controlling vacuum communication between said vacuum suction areas, a seal plate having a valve as a portion thereof extending substantially radially of said shell across the interior of said gland intermediate said vacuum conduit and said control valve, said valve when closed dividing said high vacuum area into axial compartments and interrupting vacuum communication between said high vacuum area and said low vacuum area and power means for controlling movement of said valve means.

References-Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hornbostel June 15, 1948 

